It List: The Best New Hotels

Eco-Pioneer: Pikaia Lodge, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Luxury in the Galápagos Islands took an evolutionary leap with the debut of Pikaia Lodge, the archipelago’s first carbon-neutral five-star resort. The setting is spectacular: set along a plateau on Santa Cruz Island, its 14 rooms put the entire lush valley and Pacific coastline on display through floor-to-ceiling windows. But what’s most remarkable is that it exists at all. For decades, tourism in the Galápagos has been ruled by boats with rigid itineraries, but Pikaia lets you see the islands by both land and sea (the property owns and operates a private 100-foot yacht), a combination that allows guests to explore with fewer emissions and greater flexibility, whether snorkeling with sea lions or visiting an organic coffee farm. pikaialodge.com. $$$$$